​It's in the ball!

By Daniel Greene and Jahone Green, Sophomores

Mark your calendars for Sunday, February 7, 2016 when the AFC-Champion Denver Broncos will take on the NFC-Champion Carolina Panthers in one of the most intriguing matchups of the decade!

The Denver Broncos, led by All-Pro Quarterback Peyton Manning, survived a thrilling contest with the defending-champion New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game. This battle between the two AFC heavyweights left enthusiastic fans on their seats at all times, as this game went back and forth throughout. With the Patriots down 20-12 with 0:17 remaining on the clock, they faced a crucial 4th & Goal from the 4-yard line. With all eyes on Tom Brady, he dropped back to pass and lofted a beautiful throw to Rob Gronkowski (Patriots Pro-Bowl Tight End) for the touchdown! However, due to an early missed extra point by kicker Stephen Gostkowski, the Patriots still trailed by 2 points. On the 2 point conversion, Brady threw a bullet to his favorite wide receiver, Julian Edelman, however, to his surprise, the pass was deflected and shot up in the air like a rocket. Then, the Broncos cornerback Bradley Roby intercepted the pass and the game was over. The Broncos were now heading to the biggest game of the year, Super Bowl 50.The Carolina Panthers, led by MVP candidate and Heisman Trophy *winner Cam Newton, cruised their path into the Super Bowl. The Panthers accomplished one of the best seasons of all time, finishing the regular season with an astounding 15-1 record. Furthermore, the Arizona Cardinals could not contain their momentum in the NFC Championship game. The Panthers got off to a fast start once again, as the leaped out to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter; they never looked back from them, as they continued to pile on touchdown after touchdown. Cam Newton compiled 4 total touchdowns and the defense kept the Cardinals in check. In fact, the Panthers defense forced 7 turnovers! The Panthers, in front of their extremely passionate fans, won the game by a final score of 49-15 and placed their bid into Super Bowl 50.

One of the most fascinating aspects of Super Bowl 50 will be how Denver’s top-ranked defense will matchup against Carolina’s high-powered offense. Additionally, this will the first time in Super Bowl history that two quarterbacks picked first overall in the draft will face off head-to-head. The Super Bowl is the most-watched annual sporting event of TV, and enormous crowds worldwide are eager to watch this well-anticipated game. The only question is, “Who is going to win”?

*The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football in the United States whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity. (Cam Newton won this prestigious award in 2010 when he played for the Auburn Tigers)